Aura Blockchain Consortium Has a New CEO
Tech entrepreneur Romain Carrere succeeds Daniela Ott at the helm of the nonprofit initiative.
Aura Blockchain Consortium has named Romain Carrere its new chief executive officer and general secretary.
A tech entrepreneur who has advised Web3 start-ups and luxury brands on digital strategies, Carrere succeeds Daniela Ott, who has been CEO since Aura was established in 2021 by founding members LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, Prada Group, Compagnie Financière Richemont's Cartier brand, Diesel parent OTB Group and Mercedes-Benz Group.
Associate members including H.Moser & Cie. and Maison Margiela.
Ott's next move could not immediately be learned.
In a statement, Prada executive and Aura chairman Lorenzo Bertelli thanked Ott for two “very successful” years leading Genevabased Aura. “We are grateful to Daniela, who has set a solid foundation that enables us all to face this next exciting chapter and pass the baton to Romain,” he said.
Bertelli, whose title at Prada is group marketing director and head of corporate social responsibility, added that Carrere “brings invaluable experience that will help steer the consortium into a new
strategic phase and fulfill our vision on a global scale.”
Aura promotes the use of a single blockchain solution open to all luxury brands worldwide to help consumers trace the provenance and authenticity of luxury goods. It offers a diverse range of solutions to more than 25 member brands, including NFTs and a Multi-Token Minter.
Aura highlighted Carrere's involvement in various delegations, including representing French entrepreneurs at the G20 delegation in Tokyo, demonstrating “his commitment to advancing the global tech ecosystem.”
Carrere has a master's degree from ESCP Business School and a bachelor's degree from Bentley University.
He said he joins Aura at “a critical turning point, as we scale the platform and our solutions globally. This visionary and unique consortium holds a special place in the industry, gathered around the development of a truly collaborative concept.”
Before joining Aura, Ott was CEO of hotel group Eden Being, part of the Oetker Luxury Hotel Collection, for three years before founding Agape Strategy Consulting in 2019. She is probably best known for her long career at Kering, where she had been CEO of the Tomas Maier fashion house, chief operating officer of the French group's luxury division, and a director of strategy at its Gucci and Balenciaga brands.